First photos of purported iPad 3 part could hint at material design changes

Photos showing what is claimed to be an internal component for a new, third-generation iPad have surfaced online, fueling speculation that an updated and redesigned model could launch this year.

From Apple Insider:

The photos claiming to show an iPad 3 part come from Apple.pro, a site that has been a source of accurate hardware leaks in the past. Thursday's latest leak shows a component with a code number of "821."

The component also has different part numbers: "1180" for the iPad 2, increased to "1259" on the new component. That led the author to speculate (via an online translation) that the so-called "iPad 3" is a different model with a "brand-new design."